← All 785 jobsFile 19-2041
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
Lightly edited
AI performs some of this work. Most of it still needs a person. The BLS expects 6.1% more of these jobs by 2035, faster than the 3.5% average.
- Rank
- Joint #199 of 785 jobs, by how much of the work AI does
- US jobs, 2025 to 2035
- +6.1% All jobs: +3.5%
- Median US pay
- $82,220 a year, 2025
- People doing it
- 93,400 in the US, with about 7,300 openings a year
The work, 36 activities
The job description, marked up.
Every activity in this job, the biggest first. Tap a line for the evidence.
- deleAI does this
- +AIAI helps
- stetStill yours
Still yours: Investigate the environmental impact of industrial or development activities17%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Develop plans for managing or preserving natural resources11%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Advise others on environmental sustainability or green practices6%
AI performed this in about 1 in 1,887 Copilot conversations and completed it 97% of the time.
AI does this: Present research or technical information5%
AI performed this in about 1 in 30 Copilot conversations and completed it 90% of the time.
AI helps with this: Identify business or organizational opportunities4%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 1,883 conversations, and it got them there 90% of the time.
AI does this: Communicate environmental or sustainability information4%
AI performed this in about 1 in 392 Copilot conversations and completed it 93% of the time.
Still yours: Develop research plans or methodologies3%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Develop sustainable organizational or business policies or practices3%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI helps with this: Research issues related to earth sciences3%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 541 conversations, and it got them there 87% of the time.
AI does this: Promote products, services, or programs3%
AI performed this in about 1 in 117 Copilot conversations and completed it 92% of the time.
AI does this: Assess characteristics or impacts of regulations or policies3%
AI performed this in about 1 in 640 Copilot conversations and completed it 93% of the time.
AI helps with this: Develop scientific or mathematical theories or models3%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 1,980 conversations, and it got them there 66% of the time.
Still yours: Prepare proposals or grant applications3%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Assess compliance with environmental standards or regulations2%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Advise others on legal or regulatory matters2%
AI performed this in about 1 in 456 Copilot conversations and completed it 93% of the time.
AI does this: Compile records, documentation, or other data2%
AI performed this in about 1 in 301 Copilot conversations and completed it 90% of the time.
Still yours: Analyze environmental or geospatial data2%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Evaluate programs, practices, or processes2%
AI performed this in about 1 in 1,764 Copilot conversations and completed it 93% of the time.
Still yours: Supervise personnel activities2%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Examine materials or documentation for accuracy or compliance2%
AI performed this in about 1 in 824 Copilot conversations and completed it 86% of the time.
Still yours: Develop systems or practices to mitigate or resolve environmental problems2%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Monitor environmental conditions2%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Analyze data to improve operations2%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Collect environmental or biological samples2%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Train others on operational or work procedures1%
AI performed this in about 1 in 348 Copilot conversations and completed it 92% of the time.
AI does this: Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise1%
AI performed this in about 1 in 40 Copilot conversations and completed it 91% of the time.
AI does this: Provide information or assistance to the public1%
AI performed this in about 1 in 7 Copilot conversations and completed it 86% of the time.
Still yours: Direct scientific or technical activities1%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Design databases1%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI helps with this: Prepare documentation for contracts, applications, or permits1%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 1,066 conversations, and it got them there 94% of the time.
Still yours: Develop educational programs, plans, or procedures1%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Prepare legal or regulatory documents1%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Coordinate activities with clients, agencies, or organizations1%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Research historical or social issues1%
AI performed this in about 1 in 360 Copilot conversations and completed it 88% of the time.
AI helps with this: Create visual designs or displays1%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 78 conversations, and it got them there 40% of the time.
AI helps with this: Research biological or ecological phenomena1%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 283 conversations, and it got them there 90% of the time.
2025 to 2035
Ten years from now.
For every 100 of these jobs in 2025, the BLS projects 106 in 2035. Across all US jobs, about 104.
About 7,300 openings a year, from growth and from people who retire or move on.
Nearby
Where your skills travel.
Jobs that share the most work with this one, where AI does less of it.
- Shares 43% of the workHydrologists19% AI does, against 33% here+1.5% by 2035 · $96,600 · Bachelor’s degree
- Shares 33% of the workForesters15% AI does, against 33% here+2.2% by 2035 · $76,400 · Bachelor’s degree
- Shares 30% of the workGeoscientists27% AI does, against 33% here+5.1% by 2035 · $101,920 · Bachelor’s degree
The wire
On the wire.
Nothing filed about this job yet. The latest from the Planet front:
How to read this file.
deleAI does this. In US Bing Copilot conversations from January to September 2024, AI itself performed the activity, completed it and made a real difference often enough to count.
+AIAI helps. People brought the activity to AI as their own goal, and it usually got them there.
stetStill yours. It barely shows up in AI use, AI rarely finishes it, or in this job it needs hands.
Shares are weighted by how much each activity matters in the job, using O*NET. Microsoft’s own AI applicability score for this job is 0.17, higher than 60% of jobs.
Doing an activity is not doing a job. The researchers behind this data warn against reading it as job loss, and so do we. It is US data; the shape of the work travels.
Sources: Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025) · O*NET OnLine, 19-2041 · BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
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